UROP Project
Living Song Project
art song, database, music, data entry, website
Research Mentor: Dr. Natalie Sherer,
Department, College, Affiliation: Voice & Opera Area, Music
Contact Email: nsherer@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Dr. Elizabeth Avery
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: eavery@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: Voice & Opera Area, Music
Contact Email: nsherer@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Dr. Elizabeth Avery
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: eavery@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Preference for College of Music major with specializations in voice, piano, composition, or musicology. Additionally, a computer science major or student who has both programming skills and a knowledge of music.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hours, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Preference for College of Music major with specializations in voice, piano, composition, or musicology. Additionally, a computer science major or student who has both programming skills and a knowledge of music.
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10 hours, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
- Day: Wednesday, September 3
Start Time: 12:00
End Time: 12:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/nsherer - Day: Friday, September 5
Start Time: 12:30
End Time: 1:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/nsherer - Day: Wednesday, September 3
Start Time: 12:30
End Time: 1:00
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/nsherer
Project Description
The Living Song Project (LSP) is an interdisciplinary digital humanities initiative aimed at creating a comprehensive, searchable database of contemporary US American art song and vocal chamber music by living composers. This project addresses a critical gap in music scholarship and performance by providing easy access to new repertoire that is often difficult to discover due to limited publication and distribution.LSP combines rigorous scholarly research with innovative digital tools to build an expansive, user-friendly online resource that supports performers, educators, composers, and researchers. The database currently includes detailed metadata for thousands of songs, composers, and text authors, enabling nuanced searches by voice type, instrumentation, text themes, geography, and more. Our ultimate goal is to encourage greater performance and study of vocal music by US American living composers.
A student research assistant(s) will be integral to our next phase of the project. Responsibilities will include gathering, verifying, and entering detailed metadata from a variety of sources such as scores, recital programs, composition contest listings, and publisher catalogs. The assistant will also support quality control and help test new website functionalities as we optimize the platform for public launch. This position offers a unique opportunity to engage deeply with contemporary music scholarship, digital humanities methodologies, and interdisciplinary collaboration with our research team and beyond.
Research Tasks: data collection, data entry, collaborating with research team to identify new resources
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: accurate data entry; attention to detail
Recommended: familiarity with art song repertoire; familiarity with musical notation
Mentoring Philosophy
My approach to mentorship is rooted in respect, discernment, and care. I see each student as a developing artist and individual, and I aim to support both their musical growth and their broader personal and professional development.Much of my mentoring has taken place in one-on-one coachings and performance contexts. These settings allow for a more personal connection and open the door to individualized feedback and meaningful conversations. I offer guidance that is specific, honest, and encouraging, helping students understand not just what to improve, but why it matters. I want to empower students to explore the subject matter deeply themselves while giving clear expectations and support along the way. I love helping students grow in confidence, creativity, independence, and creative insight.
I strive to create an environment where students feel comfortable to ask questions and experiment, and I encourage students to connect with the deeper joy and purpose behind their work. When possible, I also talk openly about balance—ideas for approaching performance with a healthy mindset and thoughts toward building a sustainable life in music in general. This helps ground the work in the bigger picture of their lives as inherently valuable people.
Whether through coaching, performance, or research collaboration, I want students to leave our time together not only more capable, but more equipped with tools, self-awareness, inspiration to keep growing well beyond our work together.